Portable communication devices, such as cellular phones and two-way radios, are increasing in popularity. A vast array of such devices along with a variety of services are now available to the consumer. The user interface and ergonomics used in handheld devices often dictates whether a consumer will purchase one product over another. Some radios, such as the iDEN® radios manufactured by Motorola, Inc., incorporate both cellular and dispatch (two-way) modes of operation to provide the user with the option of using either duplex communications through the cellular mode or simplex communications through the dispatch mode.
Some radios offer both dispatch and cellular through the use of two separate speakers (transducers), one for each mode of operation. Other radios port the audio through a single speaker by internally switching between dispatch and cellular operating modes. When utilizing the single speaker approach, the audio level ported through the speaker needs to be adjusted for each mode of operation. A lower audio level is typically used for the cellular mode where the user typically holds the radio next to the ear, and a higher audio level is used for the dispatch mode where the user holds the radio in front of the face.
Though the radio mode of operation and volume level can be displayed on a radio display, users who suffer from certain types of visual impairment may not be able to readily distinguish which type of call is coming in. Thus, a user may inadvertently place a dispatch call up near the ear or a cellular call away from the ear.
Accordingly, it would be greatly beneficial to have an easy, quick indication means that would allow a user to visually discriminate between multiple communication modes in a portable radio. Such an indicator would minimize the occurrence of missed calls. Even phones that have only one mode of operation could benefit from an indicator that could visually indicate when a phone has audio present at the speaker.